Gardaí could give evidence in Northern Irish courts

The inquest into the 1976 Kingsmill massacre has sought unsuccessfully to hear evidence from gardaíPA

The government has published draft legislation that would allow gardaí to give evidence to inquests in Northern Ireland.

The development emerged at an preliminary hearing of the inquest into the Kingsmill massacre, where Brian Sherrard, the coroner, told Belfast coroner’s court that he welcomed the draft bill, published by the Department of Justice last week.

Members of the gardaí are legally prevented from giving evidence in Northern Irish courts. The issue has been raised in historical inquests into killings from the Troubles, particularly those close to the border that may have resulted in cross-border movement of suspects or exchanges of police information. The Kingsmill inquest had previously sought unsuccessfully to hear evidence from gardaí.

Ten Protestant workmen were killed at the massacre in 1976 in…

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